


Tiny Pretty Things

by reyloavatar



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ballet, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ballet, F/M, M/M, Murder Mystery, Mystery, NetflixShow, POV Rey (Star Wars), Reylo - Freeform, Tiny Pretty Things
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:28:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28123125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reyloavatar/pseuds/reyloavatar
Summary: "As a ballerina, you try to defy gravity. And you do, but only for a few seconds. No matter how talented, beautiful, or skinny you are, gravity wraps its fingers around you and pulls you down. Then, you fall."When Kaydel Connix fell off of the roof of the academy late one night, people believed it to be an attempted suicide. The girl was drawn mad by the insurmountable pressures of the cutthroat world of ballet. But what if she was pushed?Rey Kenobi, aspiring ballet dancer, has just been offered the opportunity of a lifetime: a position at the Republic Academy of Ballet. Little does she know that she is taking the position of the pushed prima, which puts a target on her back with the other dancers. In the midst of all the chaos, she meets Ben, gorgeous and talented, who has some secrets of his own, secrets he will not tell. As she begins to unearth the mystery behind her new ballet school, she realizes that perhaps there is a murderer in their midst. In the process, she uncovers a plot more sinister than she could have ever imagined.Based off of Netflix's new Original Series "Tiny Pretty Things"!
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Poe Dameron/Finn, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter I: Tombé

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A tragic fall.  
> The new girl arrives.  
> The mystery begins.  
> But who did it?

_As a ballerina, you try to defy gravity. And you do, but only for a few seconds. No matter how talented, beautiful, or skinny you are, gravity wraps its fingers around you and pulls you down. Then, you fall._

The bass of the music thrummed through the floor. Kaydel laughed at Hux’s lame joke, flipping her long blonde hair over her bare shoulder. It was the beginning of fall in Chicago, still warm enough so that she could wear her sleeveless little dresses to these top-secret parties.

As dancers, they rarely had time to let loose and have fun, as they crammed their feet into pointe shoes for almost eight hours a day. Academics came second to their one and only dream: principal dancer with a major dance company.

Kaydel took another sip of her drink, swaying side to side. Her head spun for a second and she felt dizzy, but brushed it off, focusing on the beat of the music coursing through her body. Auditions for _The Sleeping Beauty_ were tomorrow, so this was the last night she had before she needed to bunker down and focus. She would be cast as Aurora, that was pretty much guaranteed.

Drinking before an important day of dancing was not the smartest decision this band of dancers had made, but when Poe whipped out a new bottle of scotch that he had snagged from the minimart five blocks away, it had been too good of an opportunity to pass up. 

She felt dizzy again, and leaned over to Rose, whispering. “I’m going to go get some air.”

Rose nodded before turning back to her friends, ignoring Kaydel in the process.

Kaydel stumbled away and around the corner to the secluded clearing on the roof. The Chicago night sky was dark and misty, but nonetheless beautiful. A dramatic background for a sinful dance. She swayed again, this time falling into the choreography of Act 2, the vision scene. Tchaikovsky’s music played its sweet and somber melody in her head. Her _rond de jambes_ into a stunning _developpe_ were effortless, followed by floaty _sissones_ and brisk _pique_ turns. The music climaxed in her head and so did she, pressing into an extended _attitude derriere._

Then she saw them, a hooded figure crouched in the darkness. She stopped, squinting to get a better look. The hooded figure stepped forward, offering her a single white rose. She took it, smiling at the stranger whose face she could not see. 

“Thank you.” She said.

“No, thank you.” The voice sounded distorted, almost as if the person under the hood did not want her to know who they were. 

Kaydel fingered the rose, accidentally pricking her finger. She winced, pressing the maimed finger past her rosey lips to suck away the blood. 

The figure approached, stepping out of the shadows. Kaydel gasped at the sinister look on their face.

“All good things must come to an end, prima. Have a nice nap, beloved Aurora.” They sneered, before seizing her by the shoulders and shoving her backwards, sending Kaydel sprawling over the edge of the roof. Her screams were muffled by the rushing air before her delicate body cracked onto the pavement below, long forgotten. 

_And in that moment, the ballerina had achieved what all dancers dreamed of. The ability to be weightless, with not a care in the world. But as her life flashed before her eyes, the prima was at a loss because this time, gravity had won._

***

“Shit, shit, shit.” Rey whispered, rushing off of the L train, her duffel bag in one hand slung over her shoulder, her battered rolling suitcase pulled behind her in the other. 

She nearly ran the remaining two blocks to the academy, slowing to a stop as she admired the towering glass building. Rey smiled, took a deep breath, and then walked inside. Rey stared in awe at the stunning academy before her. The windows allowed for the entrance of natural light which highlighted the large tapestries that hung from the ceilings, each with a dancer on them with the large letters RAB.

Suddenly, a well dressed woman approached her, a pleasant smile on her face. “Hello dear, are you Rey?”

Rey grinned and nodded. “Yes, I’m Rey Kenobi from-”

“From London, yes?” The woman took Rey by the arm and led her up a set of steps. “I am Leia Organa, headmistress of The Republic Academy of Ballet. Welcome. We are so excited to have you here.”

“Thank you.” Rey said. “It is an honor to be here. I have dreamt of this moment my entire life.”

Headmistress Organa plastered a smile on her face, this one far less genuine than the first. It appeared rehearsed, as all dancers learned to smile through the pain, and Leia Organa was no different. Even though the woman appeared put together with her tightly done french twist and coordinating gold jewelry, there was something off about her demeanor that Rey could not quite place.

“We are very pleased to welcome you as a scholarship student. Your tuition, as long as room and board and dancewear will be provided for. Here at Republic we train the world’s next ballet stars.” Leia said, leading Rey through another set of doors. Before her was a long hallway lined with rooms.

A blond woman approached them in a short, tan dress, her hair crimped into tight curls. Her thin lips were painted a deep mauve. She bowed her head to the headmistress.

“Rey, this is Larma D’Acy.” Leia introduced. “She’s the caretaker. She will make sure that you get settled in your room and that you are aware of all of the ground rules here. We expect only the best from our students here, and as a scholarship student, it is especially important that you uphold the integrity of the academy. Is that clear?”

“Yes.” Rey asserted. 

Leia tapped Rey on the shoulder affectionately. “Good. You have a bright future and lots of potential, Rey. Let’s tap into it soon, shall we? Have a good first day.”

The headmistress sighed almost sadly before leaving out the doors.

“You can call me Larma.” The woman said, leading Rey down the long hallway until they reached a small room. One side was completely barren except for a desk, a dresser, and a bed. The other side was far from boring. Colorful posters lined the walls, along with photos and string lights. The drawers were overflowing with clothes, more clothes than Rey had ever seen in her entire life.

“You’ll be rooming with Rose.” Larma said. “The academy has strict rules. No drinking. No drugs. No sex. This door stays open at all times except for when you are asleep. You must be inside academy walls by eleven every night. No exceptions. If I catch you breaking any of these rules, you’ll be on a flight straight home, got it?”

Rey nodded understandingly before sluggishly lifting her two bags onto the bed.

“Technique class starts at nine. Don’t be late. Have a good day, Rey.” Larma droned, then left the room.

Rey stared at the clock. 8:37. Fuck.

***

Rey burst into the studio a few minutes before class, her final bobby pin between her teeth. All eyes shot to her as she took a barre spot by the window between two boys. She stabbed the final pin into her bun, ripped off her warm ups, and shoved her feet as quickly as she could into her ballet flat shoes. 

“Hey babe, you new?” The dark skinned boy next to her asked.

“Yeah, I’m Rey.” She smiled, reaching out a hand to shake his.

Instead, he hugged her, lifting her off of the floor rather enthusiastically. “I’m Finn. Finally we have some fresh meat around here, and a distraction.”

Rey raised an eyebrow skeptically. “A distraction?”

“You didn’t hear?” Finn asked. “Poe! This girl doesn’t know about Kaydel!”

The guy on the other side of her piped up at his name and smiled a blindingly white smile at her. “You haven’t? I’m Poe by the way.”

“Rey.” Rey said. “What haven’t I heard?”

“A girl from the academy fell off the roof two weeks ago.” Poe whispered. “You’re her replacement I presume.”

A chill ran up Rey’s spine and her eyes widened. “Fell? Was she pushed? Did she kill herself?”

“No one knows. Some think that it was attempted suicide but some of the police are saying homicide.” Finn muttered. “It’s torn the academy to shreds, Leia especially, she feels accountable. There’s a lot of bad press despite the attempt to keep it hush, hush.”

“Damn.” Rey breathed. 

The studio door swung open and an older man stormed in, his face shriveled and misformed. His icy blue eyes pierced right through her, eyeing her like she was some sort of meal. The entire class of dancers visibly tensed, each person straightening up.

“Good luck, bitch.” Poe smirked. “Snoke’s the worst. Super hard on newbies. Plays favorites too.”

“Let’s start facing the barre.” Snoke grovelled, standing at the front of the studio. Rey had barely had enough time to admire the gorgeous studio since she had rushed in so quickly. She had never seen a studio so large and momentous. It was so much cleaner than the small one she danced in at home.

The class went well for the first two minutes, until Snoke walked by her barre and grunted in disapproval.

“Your turnout needs work.” He sneered, coming up behind her and grabbing Rey by the hips. He used his feet to push hers past one-hundred and eighty degrees to the point where it was painful. “You’re never going to learn unless you practice like this, everytime.”

His hands lingered on her waist, which made Rey want to vomit in disgust. 

Snoke’s barre was grueling, nearly an hour in length with him poking and prodding her every other combination. He praised her port de bras and extensions, but chastised her feet and lack of hyperextension. Every muscle in Rey’s body was screaming in pain after how hard she had exerted herself.

It was not until she moved into the center that she saw him. He was stunning, dancing and otherwise. His movement was powerful, but gracefully silent. Adorned in sweat, he resembled a greek statue, carved from marble, meticulously crafted and sculpted. His black hair was perfectly coiffed, tumbling to his shoulders. His dark eyes met hers for only a second, his lips parting in surprise, almost as if he had realized something. She could feel his gaze on her as she moved across the floor.

“Someone’s hot for Ben.” Poe teased, poking Rey in the ribs after she had executed four clean and crisp pirrouettes. 

Rey gasped. “I don’t even know him.”

“Careful. He’s been off and on with Bazine for a year now. Don’t get too close or she’ll claw your eyes out.” Finn gestured to the snobbish black haired girl that was waltzing away from them. She embodied ballet perfection in all facets and meanings of the word. Long legs, arched feet, high extensions; all things that most ballet dancers would kill for. 

“That bad, huh?” Rey asked.

“You have no idea.” Poe whispered. “My guess is she pushed Kaydel.”

Rey narrowed her eyes and felt dread settle in her stomach. This girl Kaydel was pushed? And now Rey was dancing in her place? She set herself up to go for the next side of pirrouettes. 

“Lift out of that pirrouette.” Snoke ordered. 

Rey tried to, but it sent her spiralling off of her leg. She grimaced at her unsightly pirrouette and tried again, the next try just as bad as the first.

“Stop!” Snoke clapped and the accompanist stopped playing. The room was so silent that you could hear a pin drop.

“I said to lift out of that pirrouette, Rey.” Snoke said, his tone harsh and unyielding. “Do it.”

Rey aligned her feet in fourth position but Snoke was already clicking his tongue in disappointment. 

“Your weight is too far back on your back foot. You’ll never get around with that terrible preparation.” Snoke said.

Rey shifted her weight and tried again. This turn was floaty and clean, her five rotations perfectly executed. As much as she hated to admit that Snoke was right, his method did work. Perhaps his coaching would not be too bad after all?

“What are you all doing just standing there?” Snoke growled. “That correction was not just for Rey, it was for all of you!”

Her fellow dancers hustled into their preparations and began trying their pirrouettes out, Snoke critiquing them as he walked around the studio.

“Solo, demonstrate.”

Rey turned to see the dark eyed boy, Ben, whipping out eight consecutive pirouettes and ending them with control. Her cheeks flared at how easily he could turn. She wished that she could do the same.

Snoke continued on with class, then finally ended it after a gruesomely difficult grand allegro. Rey knew that she was going to be sore the next day, and it had just been technique class.

“Holy fuck.” Rey groaned to Finn and Poe as she slipped her knit warmup jumper back over her drenched leotard. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Bazine glaring. “What’s her deal?”

“You’re good. Really good. She feels threatened. Looks like getting rid of Kaydel didn’t go as planned, because now there’s you.” Poe said. 

“Let’s hope you’re not on Bazine’s hit list.” A small girl approached them, her pointe shoe bag slung over her shoulder. “I’m Rose.”

“You’re my roommate, then. I’m Rey.”

“Ooh you’re from London, aren’t you?” Rose gasped. Rey was about to respond, but Rose kept rambling. “Ben hasn’t been able to keep his eyes off of you. He was eye-fucking you the entire class!”

“Was not!” Rey exclaimed, albeit quietly. “He doesn’t even know me.”

Rose laughed. Rey was thankful for her newfound friends and had taken an immediate liking to Rose. The two of them made their way to the cafeteria where they sat down.

“He doesn’t pay attention to anyone. He’s always in his own little world. This is the first time he’s shown interest in anyone in a long time.”

“I thought he was with Bazine?” Rey wondered.

“So you’ve heard about Queen Bitch?” 

Rey giggled at the nickname. “Do you really think she pushed that girl, Kaydel?” 

Rose’s eyes suddenly welled up with tears. “Kaydel was my roommate.”

Rey rubbed her newfound friend’s shoulder affectionately. “I’m so sorry.”

“I feel so guilty.” Rose sniffled, wiping her eyes. “For feeling almost glad that she’s out of the picture. She got every lead role and benefited off of so much favoritism. There was no room for the rest of us when she was around.”

Rey glanced across the cafeteria at Bazine who was eyeing her while also stabbing at her uneaten salad. Could Bazine have willingly tried to kill Kaydel? Rey swallowed and looked once more at Rose who had recomposed herself.

“I hope that it was attempted suicide.” Rose whispered. “So then at least she’d be in her coma on her own terms.”

“Were you two close?” Rey asked.

“Not really. I pretended to be friends with her, but it's ballet you know? I pretended to worship the floor she walked on, but I don’t even know what was fake and what was real. She was a bitch too, and she knew she was good. Kaydel wasn’t even humble about it. You at least are humble and don’t flaunt your talent around.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you. You’re amazing!”

“Snoke butchered me in class today. If anything, I’m behind.”

“You are not behind! You got Ben Solo’s attention, and Snoke’s for that matter. I can’t even get a correction these days.” Rose mumbled, crossing her arms.

_In ballet, you hope to rise to the top to achieve the coveted role of prima. You seek validation in other people, friends, family, artistic directors, and social media. That validation however, never comes from yourself. You fight tooth and nail for approval, but approval, like a pair of pointe shoes or maybe even a falling ballerina, can die out quickly…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! This means so much to me. For those of you that do not know, Tombe means "to fall" and it can also mean "tomb" in french. More updates to come soon.


	2. Chapter II: Plié

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A sneak peak into what happened that night.  
> A fated meeting at sunrise.  
> A charity gala where wealth runs rampant.  
> The dancers are bending... but when will they break?

_Ballet dancers suffer under unspeakable amounts of pressure each day. Staring in the mirror takes a toll on body image and mental health. Dancers bend their bodies to fit the required mold that the dance world has set for them but soon, they’ll bend too far, and then, they’re bound to break._

The police sirens blared as the group of dancers stared out of the common room window. The lights casted a blue glow down Main Street. Kaydel’s crumpled and battered body was ushered into an ambulance, the paramedics quick to shut the doors and drive off. Headmistress Organa was crying near the doors of the academy, her shoulders slumped over in sorrow at the possible loss of her best ballet dancer.

“Oh my god!” Rose gasped, struggling for air. “This can’t be happening!”

Poe was pacing, deep in thought as the rest of the dancers chattered away, nervous and on edge. 

“She fell because we were having a party!” Rose said louder, crying. “It’s all our fault!”

“It’s not our fault, Rose.” Finn said, trying to be comforting.

Poe looked up. “Everyone, listen up.”

The dancers looked at him. There was a mixed range of emotions. Hux and Bazine looked smug. Finn and several others were scared, and Rose was sobbing and shaking.

“The police are going to come knocking sooner or later, desperate for answers.” Poe said. “If they ask, we all stick to the story that we were in bed and asleep, got it?”

“We can’t lie, Poe!” Finn said. “Isn’t that a crime?”

“If we don’t, we could get wound up in all of this. I mean, what if Kaydel didn’t fall? What if she was pushed?”

Everyone gasped at Poe’s insinuation. “How could you say that?”

“She fell backwards, so it could make sense.” Poe realized, his eyes blown in surprise.

“You can’t be serious, man.” Ben said. “You seriously think someone pushed her? That one of us could have pushed her?”

“That’s not what I was saying!”

Bazine stood up, suddenly enraged. “You seriously think that one of us pushed her?”

“I don’t know? Maybe you wanted a shot at Aurora tomorrow, Bazine.” Gwen spat, angrily crossing her arms.

“You bitch! I did not push her!” Bazine snarled. “For all we know it was you Gwen. She rejected you didn’t she?”

There was an explosion of arguments, accusations filling the room.

“Shut up!” Poe shouted. “This is what I was afraid of!”

Everyone quieted down, attentive once more.

“This is why we all need an alibi, and a good one. If the cops ask, we were all asleep. Now, everyone go put your PJs on, say your prayers, and get the hell to sleep before the FBI goes busting down that door? Capish?”

The dancers frantically ran to their rooms, closing their doors successively and tucking themselves into bed. Rose cried at the sight of Kaydel’s empty side of the room and could not sleep. She wished that she could have said that she was sorry.

_Dancers push themselves to the limit and oftentimes stretch themselves too thin. This alibi is a good one, but how long until someone snaps?_

***

Rey always woke with the sun. The sunlight streaming through the window was pleasant and warm. As she sat up, her body protested in pain. She stood, the joints in her spine and hips cracking satisfyingly. Rey pulled on a leotard and tights along with some warmups before sneaking out of the room. She twisted her hair into a low bun on her way to the studio, desperate for some time alone.

As she stepped into the main studio, she realized that she was not alone. 

“Sorry.” She said quietly. “I guess I have to wake up earlier to call dibs, huh? I can go.”

“No!” Ben said abruptly. “You can stay.”

Rey cocked her head to the side and scrunched her nose. “Really?”

“Sure.” Ben said, scooting over so that she could join him on the floor where he was stretching.

“I’m Rey.” She said, folding forward to stretch her hamstrings.

“I know.” He said, a smile playing at the edge of his lips. “I’m Ben.”

“I know.” She grinned.

“Where in London are you from?” Ben asked, rolling his calf out on a foam roller. Rey had to force herself to ignore his impressive physique and the muscles his sweatpants and shirt failed to hide.

“Southern London.” Rey said. “My accent’s less refined.”

Ben laughed, his face contorting into a breathtaking smile. He was beautiful when he laughed, the sunrise basking his figure in a warm light.

“How do you think your first day went?” 

“Well my body hurts more than it ever has in my entire life. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. I can barely walk.”

“Snoke seems to like you.” Ben commented.

“Like me? Are you crazy? He can’t stand me! You on the other hand…”

Ben blushed, scratching his neck. “You’re good. Really good. Snoke pushes the people he thinks have potential.”

“As much as I hate to admit it, the old guy did have some pretty valuable things to say.” Rey admitted. 

“I hear we’re no longer doing _Sleeping Beauty_.” Ben said. “I hear that the headmistress has a new choreographer coming in or something?”

“Oh.” Rey hummed. “I wonder who?”

“Me too.” Ben said. “I hope that it’s someone more contemporary. All we’ve done recently is classical.”

“Which you’re amazing at.” Rey blurted, then looked down at the floor, embarrassed.

“I like contemporary better, though. It’s more freeing.”

Rey stood up, offering a hand to him. “Let’s see you move, Ben.”

He flashed her another smile before taking her hand and hopping to his feet. “Only if you dance with me.”

Their movement started small, but moving with Ben was instinctual, surprisingly so. It was like she had some sixth sense and she could somehow detect where exactly he would be moving. The movement grew larger as they improvised. She could not take her eyes off of him and the way his body carved through the air, shaping it. And when he jumped he almost defied gravity, suspending himself in the air like he was weightless. His eyes remained locked on hers as they circled one another. 

Suddenly, he approached her and pressed her into a lift, walking her around the room, then bending and straightening his arms just to show off. Then he dropped her, only to catch her under the knees and shoulders. Rey’s heart was beating incredibly fast.

“Ben!” She exclaimed slapping him playfully on the shoulder. Rey hopped out of his arms. “That scared me!”

“I’d never drop you. I’m too strong.” He mockingly flexed his biceps. 

She felt like she had known him forever, even though they had only spoken for a few minutes.

“Why do I feel like I’ve known you my whole life, even though we’ve only spoken once?” Ben asked.

“It’s funny.” Rey chuckled. “I was thinking the exact same thing.”

Behind the glass doors of the studio stood two figures, unbeknownst to the dancers. One, the headmistress, the other, a purple haired woman with a mischievous glint in her eye.

“What’s her name?” The purple haired woman asked. “I like her, and Ben does too.”

Leia Organa smiled, a true smile for the first time in two weeks at the sight of her son and the new hopeful dancing and smiling. Perhaps this Rey would be the rejuvenation the academy needed after such tragedy.

“Rey Kenobi.”

***

“It’s a charity gala.” Rose said, handing Rey a garment bag that enclosed what Rey presumed was a dress. “It’s so that the academy can flaunt us around to benefactors. In my opinion, bleh.”

Rey giggled and took the garment bag. When she unzipped it she found possibly the most expensive dress Rey had ever seen. It was a dark blue, thin straps and adorned with sequins. To her delight, the back of the dress was open. 

“I can’t wear this, Rose. It’s so expensive.” Rey stuttered. 

“You can and you will.” Rose promised. “It’s the academy’s. Besides, Ben won’t be able to keep his eyes off of you!”

Rey raised an eyebrow at Rose’s excited tone. “And since when was this night about seducing Ben?”

“He’s going to be paraded around with Bazine, most likely.” Rose grumbled, slipping into her stunning red cocktail dress. “The two upcoming stars of RAB!”

“So benefactors will donate if they see them together?”

“It’s business, Rey. The ballet world is full of rich old guys who will pay a shit ton of money just to see young girls dance. Spells PEDOPHILE to me.”

Rey shivered.

“And after what happened with Kaydel, people have been pulling out and the academy needs funding, I presume. Headmistress Organa only holds these when we need money.”

“Why have people been pulling their money out?” Rey asked, pulling on her dress and having Rose zip her up. She shoved her aching feet into some black heels and stood up, brushing her hair out.

“They think RAB is no longer equipped to handle young impressionable students or whatever that means.” Rose rolled her eyes then proceeded to straighten her hair. 

“I’m awful at social events.” Rey muttered, rolling her drugstore mascara onto her eyelashes. 

“Just smile and wave and you’ll be fine. It’s not us the benefactors are there for. They want to get their eyes on ballet’s next stars, and that is Bazine and Ben.”

“Do you really think that Bazine could have pushed her?” Rey asked. 

“I don’t know. Bazine always has a personal vendetta. She does what she can to manipulate people and get to the top. I wouldn’t think that she could try to kill someone though I wouldn’t put it past her. One time, she made someone sick so they couldn’t perform when she was the understudy.”

“Holy shit.” Rey’s eyes widened. 

“Yeah. Bazine is a backstabbing bitch, just wait. You’ll see.”

***

Upon arriving at the gala, Rey and Rose immediately located the buffet table and the chocolate fountain. After stuffing their faces with fruit and chocolate (behind closed doors, of course), they mingled, though were not approached by anyone.

“I’ll be right back, I gotta pee.” Rose whispered. Before Rey could protest about being alone, Rose dashed off in search of the bathroom.

“Rey!” 

She turned to see Headmistress Organa approaching her with an older man trailing behind her. 

“This is Sheev Palpatine, one of our top donors.” Leia smiled, gesturing to the elegantly dressed man next to her. “Sheev, this is Rey, one of our newest and most promising dancers.”

“Nice to meet you, Rey. I look forward to seeing you on stage.” Sheev said, shaking Rey’s hand.

“Pleasure to meet you.” Rey said politely, bowing her head. 

Palpatine moved to pass her, but then grabbed her by the shoulder and dipped his head down so that his mouth was close to her ear. Rey froze, tense and afraid. “Mr. Balanchine liked his dancers to look a certain way, but frankly you look better. Have a nice evening.”

She grimaced as she watched Palpatine’s retreating form. Maybe Rose was right. These people had more money than they needed and more money than Rey could have ever imagined having herself. Still, her scholarship and fate in Chicago rested on the shoulders of these wealthy and pretentious people.

Rose popped back into Rey’s line of vision, so she relaxed. Her friend was sucking on a breath mint.

“Where’d you get the breath mint, Rose?” Rey asked.

Rose paused for a second. “They had them in the bathroom. Crazy fancy mansion, huh?” 

“ROSIE!” A voice sounded and suddenly a girl, a few inches taller than Rose, whizzed past Rey and hugged the smaller girl fiercely. A nearly empty glass of wine was dangling from her fingers.

“Hi Paigey.” Rose grumbled.

Rey was at a loss for words at the woman in front of her. She had watched Paige Tico in every single ballet online. Rey had dreamt of meeting her for her entire life and now, here she was, right in front of her!

“Oh my god. You’re Paige Tico!” Rey shrieked. Eyes turned to face her so she lowered her voice.

“That I am.” The gorgeous ballerina smiled at her. “I see you’re rooming with my sister.”

“SISTER?!” Rey whisper-yelled. “You failed to mention that your sister was THE PAIGE TICO, Rose!”

“I didn’t think that it was that big of a deal, honestly.” Rose shrugged, obviously uncomfortable. It hit Rey that perhaps Rose suffered in her big sister’s shadow, so she reigned in her excitement.

“I think Leia’s making a big announcement.” Paige noted. “See you around, Rosie. And you too?”

“Rey.” 

“Rey.” Paige grinned once more before disappearing back into the crowd of benefactors and dancers.

Rey had to stop herself from freaking out about the fact that Paige Tico knew her name, had spoken to her, and happened to be her roommate’s sister. 

A clinking sound filled the large hall as Headmistress Organa tapped her golden spoon to the side of her champagne glass. “If I can have everyone’s attention, please.”

The room silenced and all heads turned to face the older woman at the front of the hall.

“First of all, I’d like to welcome all of you and thank you for coming to this charity gala. Republic Academy of Ballet is going through some difficult times right now, so I cannot thank you enough for your love and support.

“As you know, our showcase is fast approaching. We had intended to do _The Sleeping Beauty_ , but in light of recent events, I have made the decision that we should postpone that ballet for the spring. On a happier note, I am pleased to announce that Amilyn Holdo will be choreographing this year’s showcase.”

The room bursted into applause and Rey gaped at the world-famous contemporary ballet choreographer who stood alongside the headmistress, purple hair and all. Rey made eye contact with Ben across the room, who winked at her then turned away. Her cheeks flared.

“Amilyn has been a close friend of mine for so many years and I cannot wait to see what she has in store for all of you and for our dancers. I know that she is going to do something very innovative that is going to push the boundaries of dance. That is something I have always admired about Amilyn. She is not afraid to be bold and do different, down to her hair color.

“Additionally, I know that the press has been waiting for me to address the unfortunate incident that occured two weeks ago. While I do not know who or what was the cause of Kaydel’s fall, I do know that she is an incredible dancer and we continue to hold out hope for her awakening and fast recovery. We will continue to dance in her memory.” Leia appeared close to tears now, obviously choked up.

Rose was squeezing Rey’s hand, holding back tears. Rey glanced over at Ben whose face was blank and stoic, as if he was hiding what he truly felt behind a mask of indifference. On the car ride back to the dormitories, Rey found herself sandwiched between Poe and Rose. Everyone was silent in the car, digesting the news about Amilyn Holdo and perhaps even more so, the headmistress’ tribute to Kaydel. Rey felt like an outsider, the only one who never had the chance to know Kaydel, but she was no stranger to grief or to guilt. Each dancer had a story to tell, a secret from that night, and soon enough, Rey knew that these facades would break. She was not sure if she would be able to pick up the pieces.

_You need to check yourself before you wreck yourself. If only little Kaydel had followed these words of advice, maybe she wouldn’t have become a splat on the pavement?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading the second chapter! Let me know what you think! Also, the word "Plié" in French means to "bend". I am currently going through college finals but will soon be on break so that I can update more. Some of you may be confused about the breath mint thing with Rose, but I will soon unveil what is going on with her. This honestly feels like a cross between Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars, with Star Wars Characters, which I never thought I'd be writing. Also, for those of you who have seen Tiny Pretty Things, the "Madame" of the ballet academy is very mean. Personally, I do not view Leia that way and am changing up her character, along with a lot of other things that won't follow the plot of the show. Thank you thank you thank you for reading! <333


	3. Chapter III: Tendu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A tense interrogation.  
> The new girl meets her match.  
> The auditions begin.  
> Who will get the chance to fly?

_Fake it till you make it. If you stumble, make it part of the dance. Phrases preached to dancers everywhere. But underneath the well practiced facade of makeup and smiles and tiaras, the ballerina dances on pins and needles. She dances on thin ice until it breaks and she is submerged into the cold reality that she will never be good enough._

“Leia Organa.” 

Leia’s teary eyes met the face of a young police officer who stood opposite her desk. She sniffed, wiped her eyes with a tissue, then stood to greet the young woman. They shook hands.

“My name is Detective Bliss and I am here to ask you a few questions. It shouldn’t take up too much of your time. Then I will have your husband drive you to the hospital. Does that sound good?”

“Yes.” Leia nodded silently.

“Kaydel Connix is a bright star, is she not?”

“One of our best.” Leia said. “She has such a bright future. I know that she will dance professionally one day, if she can ever dance again.”

Detective Bliss nodded, scribbling on her small notepad, her astute blue eyes scanning over Leia’s tidy office. “Did you ever notice that anything was off about her? That perhaps she would have a reason to take her own life?”

Leia shook her head, her eyes watering at the idea of Kaydel wanting to kill herself. “No. She always seemed happy. And she knew that she was about to be cast in one of her final roles at the academy where there would be company scouts. She was on top here.”

“You said that she was on top here? Do you think that could have fueled any jealousy or rivalry?” 

“Rivalry is normal in the ballet world. A little healthy competition is good. The dancers feed off of one another which motivates them to do better.” 

The detective sighed, rubbing her hand over her face in exhaustion. “Do you think it is a possibility that any of the dancers had motives against Kaydel?”

Leia gasped, finally understanding Detective Bliss’ insinuation. “You can’t possibly think one of my students pushed her?”

“She landed on her back, Mrs. Organa. There were scuff marks on the roof that prove that perhaps there was some struggle.”

Leia shot up out of her chair, suddenly enraged. “How dare you! I cannot believe that you would think that this was anything more than a tragic accident!”

“I ask that you calm down, ma’am. We can’t rule anything out right now. Whether it was attempted homicide or suicide, we will get to the bottom of this.” Detective Bliss promised. 

Leia shakily exhaled, wiping more tears that had escaped her eyes from her cheeks. “Thank you.”

“Kaydel means a great deal to you, doesn’t she?” The detective asked. 

“Yes, all of my students are like my family.” 

“And your son, he is a student here?” 

“Yes, Ben is a student here. He’s been dancing since he was three.” Leia smiled sadly at the photo of Ben on her desk, him waving a baton in his little striped pants in his first _Nutcracker._

“I will let you get to the hospital, then. I will be in touch.” 

“Thank you,” said Leia graciously. She grabbed her belongings and rushed out of the door of her office, away from the prying eyes of the detective.

_Dancers oftentimes make discoveries when it is too late. Leia Organa would soon be submerged in the cold reality that her star pupil would be in for a long nap. Sometimes, no one is good enough._

***

Rey hummed a little tune to herself as she got dressed for the day. Rose was still asleep, but Rey never missed a sunrise. It was her favorite time of day, mostly because she got to spend time with Ben. A week had passed since the charity gala and Rey was finally settling into the rhythm of the academy. She was no longer unbearably sore and her knees didn’t hurt every time she took a step.

She made her bed, lifting her pillow to find a single white rose and a note, scrawled out in black ink. **It’s your time to fly.**

Rey smiled and packed up her things, wondering who would send or give her such a sweet note. Maybe it was Ben? She quietly exited her room and walked to the studio, delighted to see that Ben was already there, stretching in his usual spot on the floor. 

“Look what someone gave me.” Rey said, handing Ben the rose and note. “They left it under my pillow. Isn’t that nice?”

To her surprise, Ben’s face was not one of joy, but instead was one of concern. His eyes were glued to the note, his brows furrowed in confusion.

“This isn’t a gift, Rey. It’s a warning.” Ben said seriously, handing the note back to Rey and walking over to the trash can, shoving the rose in. 

“Hey!” Rey complained. “That was my flower!”

“The very same flower that Kaydel was holding in her fingers the night she fell. You need to take that note to the police.”

“It’s probably just a coincidence,” noted Rey, rolling her eyes at Ben’s superstition. “You’re being ridiculous.”

“Did you not read the note? It says that ‘it’s your time to fly’, but not in a good way. It’s your time to fly as in you’ll fall, just like Kaydel.” 

Rey’s eyes widened, suddenly realizing that what Ben was saying could be true. “I won’t go anywhere near the roof.”

“Good.” He smiled lightly, then changed the subject of their conversation. “Holdo’s holding her first cut of auditions today.”

“Yeah, I know.” Rey said.

“Are you nervous?” Ben asked.

Rey shook her head. “No. I’m not really expecting much. Lead stuff will probably go to Bazine. She’s been here longer than me.”

Ben laughed at her. Actually laughed at her. 

“What?” Rey raised an eyebrow skeptically. “What is it? Why are you laughing at me?”

“Because you’re fucking amazing and you don’t even know it.” Ben smiled. He put his hands on her shoulders and she had to ignore how right it felt for him to be touching her. “You don’t give yourself enough credit. If Holdo doesn’t cast you, she’s blind.”

“If Holdo doesn’t cast you, she’s blind.” Rey retaliated. His hands still lingered on her shoulders, then he removed them awkwardly.

“My mother isn’t going to let Holdo cast me.” Ben looked sad.

“Wait… Leia Organa is your mother?” Rey exclaimed. “You never told me that!”

“I wanted you to make a judgement about me before you knew the power my parents have. Everyone thinks that I get what I get because of favoritism.”

“You’re the best dancer here, Ben.”

Ben scratched his neck nervously. “Thanks, Rey.”

“I’m serious. Now are we going to dance or not?”

“I don’t know. You might be too heavy for me to lift this fine morning.” Ben teased.

Rey stuck her tongue out at him. “Says the guy who literally pressed me above his head the other day and walked around the room.”

“Fine, fine, fine.” Ben conceded. “But all this extra work is making my back hurt.”

“Hmm, I guess you need to do some back strengthening.” Rey giggled, then jumped on Ben’s back, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his obnoxiously broad torso.

“Shit, Rey. Give me a warning next time.” Ben stumbled upon catching her weight, then straightened up and walked around the studio with ease. Suddenly, he tripped, falling forward and taking her with him. Rey landed on top of Ben, face first into his shoulder blades.

Ben groaned then flipped over, her still sprawled out on top of him. “Ow.”

“Sorry. You okay?” She asked, her cheeks flushing red in embarrassment. “My fault.”

He sat up, nearly colliding faces with her. This close, she could see the gold flecks in his eyes. Rey realized that she had been staring so she jerked back, scrambling off of him and sitting back on her heels. 

“Sorry. Yeah I’m good. Are you?”

She smiled. “Yeah. That was more scary than anything. And kind of funny. Maybe you do need to work on your back strength.”

Ben rolled his eyes and poked her in the ribs playfully. “Do not! You’re just heavy.”

“Am not!” Rey protested, crossing her arms over her chest in mock hurt. 

They exchanged mock insults, laughing with one another. In the warm orange glow of the sunrise, a friendship, or possibly more than that, was born. The note she had received that morning laid discarded on the floor as they set into their normal pace of dance. They were only interrupted by a sickly sweet voice.

“Dancing with the new girl, Benny?” Bazine cooed. “She needs all the help she can get.”

Rey glared and Bazine who set her bag down and walked over to Ben, wrapping her fragile arms around him. Ben looked uncomfortable, but plastered a smile on his face nonetheless. 

“Ben, will you give us a moment?” Bazine asked, batting her eyelashes.

“Sure.” Ben said, obviously desperate to get out of the studio. Rey wished he had not left, as she was stuck alone with the Queen Bitch herself.

“Stay away from him.” Bazine sneered, her dark eyes filled with hate. “Stay away from him. You have no idea what I am capable of, little orphan girl.”

“I think I do, Bazine. You’re willing to do anything to anyone who gets in your way.” Rey snapped.

“That’s right. Ben and I will be dancing the leads in Holdo’s piece.” Bazine ordered, pointing an accusatory, manicured figure in Rey’s face.

“I think you feel threatened by me. Kaydel’s gone and you still don’t have a definite shot at top dancer.” 

Bazine flinched at the mention of Kaydel. “You bitch. Stay out of my fucking way, or I’ll tear you to pieces.”

“You know what, Bazine?” Rey began. “I don’t have to listen to you, and frankly I’m not scared of you. You’re just a selfish bitch that hides away her insecurities.”

“Fuck you! Stay away from Ben. Stay away from my role.” Bazine spat. “Or there will be consequences.”

Rey collected her things and hurried out of the studio, desperate to find Rose and tell her everything. Bazine was becoming more and more of a prime suspect in Rey’s mind, but she also just seemed like a little insecure girl hiding behind a mask of arrogance. Rey was sure that Bazine was not all that scary. She was all bark and no bite. Rey would soon realize how wrong she was...

***

“Hello everyone, my name is Amilyn Holdo.” 

A dark cloud of tension hung over the dancers, the anxiety of the audition settling into their bodies. Rey glanced around the room, taking note of how her friends were doing. Rose was fidgeting with her hands excessively and Poe was breaking out into a nervous sweat. Finn looked calm but she could tell that he was internally freaking out.

Holdo paced along the front of the studio, her vibrant hair tied back into a small ponytail at the back of her head. Her once elegant attire from the gala was replaced by an athletic ensemble of grey and dark blues. She was serious, not a sign of a smile in sight.

“The piece for the showcase I will be setting is called Noir. It represents the inner darkness of the ballet world, and perhaps the inner darkness within you.” She said. “During these unsettling times I think it is important to remember not to get caught up in our envy and hatred for one another.”

No one even flinched, each dancer holding on to each of Holdo’s words.

“We’re going to start with the group section and at the end of the audition I will narrow this down to six dancers, three ladies and three gentlemen that will have a seperate audition tomorrow for lead pas de deux roles. There will be one female and one male lead along with several demi soloists that I will cast later in the process. Let’s line up and begin.”

Holdo taught the choreography quickly. It was a mix of contemporary and ballet, meant to be done en pointe. Rey was thankful that she excelled at picking up choreography, as she could see several other dancers struggling. The music was intense and dramatic, crescendos of violins and cellos that were played with vigor. Rey tried to match the movement to the music, finding the undertones where Holdo had set the steps. She was a genius choreographer, far better than any choreographer Rey had ever worked with in her life.

“Good, Rey.” Holdo called out as she danced. “That’s what I want.”

Rey grinned to herself as the audition continued, Holdo’s choreography getting faster and more intricate. 

“This is a corps de ballet piece, not a solo, Bazine.” Holdo critiqued, then stopped playing the music. “All of you must learn to move as a unit. There are very few dancers in this world that ever get to the position of principal dancer. You will spend most of your life dancing in the corps. Get used to it. You must match yourself to your fellow dancers, and that takes trust, something I do not see yet.

“This piece is not about each and everyone of you individually. This is about collaboration and working together for a common goal. After the loss all of you have gone through in the past month, you need to lean on one another more than ever.” Holdo’s serious expression had broken. She was speaking from a place of authenticity and passion. 

“I spent so much of my time dancing trying to stand out. In this part, you will do your best to blend in. The audience should see all of you together. Let’s try the choreography one more time, and then I will let you know who has made the cut.”

In the final run through, Rey pushed her body to its breaking point, her blistered feet aching in pain as she poured her last bit of energy into the movement. They as a group breathed together and achieved an ultimate synchronicity that had not been there before. At the end, she smiled at their success and they clapped for one another, a newfound support enlightening the room.

“Thank you dancers.” Amilyn bowed her head. “That was exactly what I was looking for. Now, if I call your name, please stay behind so that I can give you instructions for tomorrow’s audition. Ben, Armitage, and Poe, along with Bazine, Gwen and Rey.”

Rey’s heart stopped. Had Amilyn Holdo actually called her name? Rey watched as Rose, crestfallen, along with Finn, made their way out of the studio, their heads sunk in poorly hidden defeat.

“Tomorrow I will teach the main pas de deux section at two. Mrs. Tano knows that you will be missing modern to be with me at that time. Thank you for your hard work, ladies and gentlemen. You are truly the future of this industry.” 

As soon as Holdo exited the studio, Poe seized Rey in a huge hug, twirling her around the room.

“Congrats, Rey!” He shouted, placing her back on her feet. She felt dizzy.

“You too, Poe. Do you think Finn and Rose will be okay?” Rey asked, concern plastering itself across her face.

“Finn will be fine. Rose always takes these things close to heart. I can’t imagine having a sister like Paige Tico and living in her shadow.”

Rey nodded understandingly, wishing that she could do something to help her friend. _I feel so guilty for feeling almost glad that she’s gone. She got every lead role and benefited off of so much favoritism. There was no room for the rest of us when she was around._ Rose had said. Was Rey taking Kaydel’s place? Had Rose maybe hoped that with Kaydel out of the way she could step into the spotlight? Sweet little Rose could not have possibly done anything sinister, right?

_When you fail, try, try again. If only there were second chances in ballet. There are no re-dos, no retries. If there were, perhaps a certain ballerina would still be dancing. Or would she?_

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I am a dancer and just finished this show on Netflix and absolutely loved it. I decided to write this! Critiques in the comments are always welcome!


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